Coronavirus: Black Country, Birmingham and Staffordshire death toll passes 100
More than 100 coronavirus patients have now died across the Black Country, Birmingham and Staffordshire.
A further 21 people in the region were confirmed on Friday to have died after testing positive for Covid-19 as the UK death toll increased by 150 in a day for the first time.
Meanwhile 206 more people have tested positive for Covid-19 in the region, taking the total number of positive tests to 923.
Six of the patients died in Wolverhampton, five died in Dudley, eight died in Birmingham and two died in Staffordshire.
A total of 759 patients have now died in the UK, including 689 in England, while 14,579 people in the UK have tested positive.
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The 168 patients confirmed to have died in England on Friday were between 29 and 98 years old and all underlying health conditions apart from four who were aged between 82 and 91.
It means a total of 102 Covid-19 patients have now died in the Black Country, Birmingham and Staffordshire.
Of these, 37 have died in Wolverhampton, 42 have died in Sandwell and Birmingham, 16 have died in Dudley, five have died in Staffordshire and two have died in Walsall.
The death toll is broken down by the health trust where the patients died and as the Sandwell and West Birmingham trust runs hospitals in both boroughs there is no specific death toll for Sandwell or Birmingham.
Diane Wake, Chief Executive of the Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust, said on Friday: "The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust is currently treating patients who have tested positive for Covid-19 (coronavirus).
"Sadly, we can confirm that 16 patients being cared for at our hospital, and had tested positive for Covid-19, have died. Five of those have been announced today.
"The patients were aged between 65 and 90 years old and all five patients had underlying health conditions.
"Our thoughts and condolences are with the families and friends of those patients at this very difficult and distressing time."
All of the latest coronavirus deaths were confirmed between 5pm on Wednesday and 5pm on Thursday, but some of the patients included in the figures died as long ago as March 14.
Among the latest people to have tested positive for the virus are Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Health Secretary Matt Hancock who are both now self-isolating.
The pair, who are leading the country’s response to the Covid-19 outbreak, both said they have mild symptoms and are continuing to work from their homes.
Mr Johnson, who has a high temperature and persistent cough, said he would still lead the “national fightback” against the virus from his flat above Number 11.
